Utility rack



Nov. 11, 1947. G. VOLLMER UTILITY RACK Filed Jan. 21, 1946 INVENTOR. 62/5241/ VW/mafl Patented Nov. 11, 1947 iJNiTED STATES PATENT OFFHC UTILITY RACK Gustav Vollmer, Kansas City, Mo.

Application January 21, 1946, Serial No. 642,543

4 Claims; 1 This invention relates to racks of the character conventionally employed in supporting articles of clothing and particularly neckties and similar wearing apparel and has for its primary aim the provision of a hanger or rack that is inexpensive to manufacture, exceptionally easy to assemble, strong and rugged in character and appearance and that may be cut to suitable length even after the original construction has been completed and the rack sold to the customer.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a utility rack capable of conveniently supporting neckties and comprising a. unique base formed of opposed members between which a specially designed undulated strip of resilient material is clamped and thereby retained against accidental displacement.

Further aims of this invention include the manner in which the undulated strip is retained between a pair of specially formed base members; the manner in which the means for holding the base members together serves as an element for establishing a retaining grip upon the aforesaid resilient strip; and the manner of forming the strip to present a series of stalls between successive undulations of the strip body.

Further objects of the invention will appear during the course of the following specification referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a utility rack made in accordance with the present invention and having parts thereof broken away for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a condensed front elevational View of the utility rack.

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a similar transverse cross sectional view taken on line IVIV of Fig. 1.

The utility rack chosen for illustration and shown in the drawing about to be referred to, may be supported upon any surface such as the back of a door or wall and when originally constructed comprises apair of opposed members I!) formed of wood or similar substance and rabbeted along one longitudinal edge to form a groove l2 when strips are in side by side relation, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

A fillet I4 is left at the side of groove l2 along the bottom thereof to establish a slightl narrower portion at the base of groove l2 to receive stri I6. This strip 16 is undulated, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l, to present outer and inner bights I8 and 20. The outer bights I 8 are substantially greater in radius than inner bights 20 (Cl. zit-120) and the straight stretches 22 between bights i3 and 20 are spaced apart to. provide stalls 26 that receive the article supported. The Width of strip [6 is practically the same as the width of groove I2 outside fillets i4 and when members iii are drawn together b-yholding means 26, bights 2B are drawn into piercing engagement with fillets 1'6 to clamp strip I6 in place and to prevent relative movement of any part of strip It with respect to members Ill except as permitted by the inherent resiliency of the material from which strip I6 is formed. Thus each inner bight 2!! becomes a fulcrum point about which stretches 22" may swing to a slight degree as articles are inserted into stalls 24. Also, if a substantially thick article is forced into any one Of the several stalls 24', bights [8 will be compressed as well as moved laterally and the width of the material stall 24 will be increased as needed to the end that the substantially heavy and thick article will be received and gripped as intended. Fillets it are thin and when members H] are made of soft wood, screws 26, which comprise the means for holding members [0 together, will easily exert a suflicient amount of force to cause inner bights 20 to cut into the fillets I4 and thereby establish a rigid interconnection between the component parts of the rack. Undulated strips l5 may be cut to desired length merely by severing the same at one of the inner bights 20 and the length of members l0 ma be altered as desired, all to the end that a utility rack of a length suitable for conditions met, may be constructed and employed. Even if the length of the rack is to be altered after it has been used for a length of time, screws 26 may be removed, strip I6 cut to the desired length and screws Ziireplaced, all without affecting the utility of the assembly.

It is realized that racks having structural characteristics different from those shown may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is:

1.. A utility rack comprisin a pair of opposed members, said members each being rabbeted along adjoining longitudinal edges to form a groove; a strip of undulated material clamped between the members in said groove with alternate bights of the undulated strip along one edge thereof extending laterally from one side of the opposed members, the remaining bights along the opposite edge thereof being confined between the said 0pposed members; and means for holding the members together and in clamping engagement with the said strip, the width of the groove being less than the width of said strip whereby a portion of the strip is embedded in said members when the holding means draw the members together.

2. A utility rack comprising a pair of opposed members, said members each being rabbeted along adjoining longitudinal edges to form a groove; a strip of undulated material clamped betwee the members in said groove with alternate bights of the undulated strip along one edge thereof extending laterally from one side of theopposed members, the remaining bights along the opposite edge thereof being confined between the said opposed members; and means for holding the members together and in clamping engagement with the said strip, the groove having a fillet along each side thereof at its base, the con- 7 fined bights of the strip being forced into the said fillets when the members are drawn to gether by the holdin means.

3. A utility rack comprising a pair of opposed members, said members each being rabbeted along adjoining longitudinal edges to form a groove; a strip of undulated material clamped between the members in said groove with alternate bights of the undulated strip along one edge thereof extending laterally from one side of the 4 by the holding means, the confined bights of the strip being arcuate in cross sectional contour.

4. A utility rack comprising a pair of opposed members, said members each being rabbeted along adjoining longitudinal edges to form a groove; a. strip of undulated material clamped between the members in said groove with alternate bights of the undulated strip along one edge thereof extending laterally from one side of the opposed members, the remaining bights along the opposite edge thereof being confined between the said opposed members; and means for holding the members together and in clamping engagement with the said strip, the groove having a fillet along each side thereof at its base, the confined bights of the strip being forced into the said fillets when the members are drawn together by the holding means, the proximal stretches of the undulated strip between the bights thereof being substantially parallel and spaced apart to form open end stalls for receiving articles.

GUSTAV VOLLMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS opposed members, the remaining bights along the 3 Number Name Date opposite edge thereof being confined between the said opposed members; and means for holding the members together and in clamping engagement with the said strip, the groove having a fillet along each side thereof at itsbase, the

confined bights of the strip being forced into the said fillets when the members are drawn together 430,331 Ballard June 17, 1890 471,885 Nutting Mar. 29, 1892 727,274 Bonsall May 5, 1903 951,628 Buckingham Mar. 8, 1910 1,214,606 Steig Feb. 6, 1917 1,222,728 Brown Apr. 17, 1917 1,746,577 Berglund Feb. 11, 1930 

